October 4, 2011

Time to Get Real on Iran and Syria

Can we agree that Iran and Syria now constitute a single strategic problem? Surely Ali Khamenei, the Iranian supreme leader, thinks so. Otherwise he would not have ordered the Revolutionary Guards to conduct a policy of all-out military, financial, and intelligence support for the Assad regime, combined with the usual deception (various public statements urging Assad to be reasonable and settle his differences with the protesters, a ridiculous fantasy). Khamenei knows that if Assad falls to anything remotely resembling a free, representative government, the consequences for Iran range from severely damaging to fatal.

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES

Diplomacy is reclaiming a role in Iran's nuclear drama, but little attention is being paid to a conflict of interests that is likely to complicate Tehran's path to a settlement. The objectives of the western powers are clear:... more ››

The main pillars of the Syrian regime are collapsing one after the other. The closing of the University of Aleppo signifies the beginning of the end for public education. It will only be the first of the universities to close.... more ››

Russia's leaders have been disgracefully cynical throughout the Syrian uprising. They have armed and supported President Bashar Al-Assad's regime, and they provide diplomatic cover for his mendacious and self-fulfilling claims... more ››